Suspect in day care shooting charged with first degree murder

Police say the estranged husband of a Cape Coral day care worker shot and killed her in front of children at the Bobbie Noonan Day Care Friday afternoon. That man is being charged with first degree murder.

Friday, January 25th 2008, 6:35 PM EST

Updated:

Tuesday, July 12th 2011, 11:06 AM EDT

CAPE CORAL: Police say the estranged husband of a Cape Coral day care worker shot and killed her in front of children at the Bobbie Noonan Day Care Friday afternoon.That man is being charged with first degree murder.

Police say there were reports of a gunman walking around the day care center at 4:40 p.m.

One witness said her father went into the day care to pick up her three year old daughter when he saw the gunman. The witness' father ran into the three-year-old's classroom and they all ran into the bathroom.

When Cape Coral Police arrived on scene and heard two shots.

Police say when they entered the day care, they found one gunman, 44-year-old Robert Harold Dunn. They also found 36-year-old Christine Lozier shot to death.

"They made hot entry into the building and found the gentleman we have since arrested," said Deputy Chief Jay Murphy with the Cape Coral Police Department.

The shooting happened in front of a number of children - one of them was Dunn's and Lozier's daughter.

"It was a domestic related situation," said Murphy. "This is something we always feared and hoped it would never happen. It happened today."

But Murphy says the employees of the day care center sprang into action when they saw Dunn.

"The employees did everything they could to protect their staff and children," said Murphy.

Some children were close enough during the shooting they were spattered with the victim's blood. Luckily though, none of them were physically injured.

We spoke to one mother whose daughter was inside the day care center. The daughter called Dunn a 'monster.'

Police say they have Dunn in custody, he is being charged with first degree murder, and that they will be moving him to the Lee County Jail.

Court records show Lozier had filed for divorce from Dunn in October. And as late as January 11, a mediator met with the couple. Lozier was seeking a restraining order against her husband

Lozier's was with her grandparents Friday night.

Police will have councilors at the Cape Coral Police Station Saturday around noon.

They say anyone whose child shows signs of post traumatic stress - such as not eating, irregular sleeping, changes in behavior, or depression or sadness - should call a doctor.

The administration at Bobbie Noonan says they will contact each and every parent sometime this weekend.

CAPE CORAL: Police say the estranged husband of a Cape Coral day care worker shot and killed her in front of children at the Bobbie Noonan Day Care Friday afternoon.That man is being charged with first degree murder.